i wish we did not have to pick among these amazing leaders here, and i really also want to thank all of you in the audience because i know that every single one of you has led in your own way in the amazing community that we call san francisco. without further ado, on behalf of the academy -- [laughter] it is now my pleasure to announce that the recipient of the 2010 apa heritage award in a lifetime achievement category is dr. edward chou. -- chow. [applause] he has been in private practice for over 40 years, since he was 5 years old, and he has been addressing health disparities in both the national and local level for over 25 years since he was 5 years old. he has worked with the chinese hospital and the chinese community health care association to create the

nation's first and only bilingual and culturally competent health class. he also spearheaded the creation of the chinese community health resource center, which today serves over 30,000 san franciscans. he currently serves on the san francisco health commission, which he has served for over 20 years, where he has been a staunch advocate of our community, requiring culturally competent programs, rebuilding lebanon hospital, san francisco general hospital, and encouraging support for the hepatitis b three program. he was quoted in today's "new york times" for his advocacy to that program. one of the first individuals are asked to come to my office to greet me was none other than this gentleman here, and i also want to remake a quick conversation i had with my mother recently. i told her i was going to present an award to the good doctor, and she asked me -- "i

guess it is too late for you to good medical school?" [laughter] without further ado, doctor, thank you so much for everything you have done for us. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. i am almost speechless for this honor, an honor which actually i never sought, and i am humbled receiving. it has been my great privilege to be able to work in this city,

and in the spirit of the theme of tonight, which is headed and unity, i need to emphasize the issue of heritage. first of all, like at the academy, and i'm waiting 40 lights to go off shortly, i do want to thank my parents, both of whom not only had the good foresight to have me born in san francisco in a chinese hospital, but also within the city here had shown me that there was more than just work, as they have themselves tirelessly worked within the community and the county here. i also want to thank, of course, my own family who gave me the opportunity, the time to be able to work within my own community and on different levels as the opportunity arose. lastly, i would like

particularly to acknowledge that what -- that none of what was read could actually be possible by only one person and i was merely the steward of an issue that chinese hospital had been founded for, which was access for care for health care what our people, and it is somewhat ironic, and i am pleased to be a health commissioner because back in the 1890's, did you realize that san francisco general did not accept chinese patients? i am pleased to say that today, i am making them do that. [applause] the issue of access has been that which has led almost all the work that i have done in my life. access for my patients, which i have been privileged to have the opportunity to serve, access for our community, from which we

have been able to develop a program that has brought what i hope will be quality care in a culturally competent manner before they even thought about such standards, and access on the national level. it continues to be part of my passion. it sounds like i should be retiring, and i am going to bring this to my membership. it is really time to do that, but i really do want to thank the physicians of our community who particularly had understood the need to not only serve our patients, but because we have a unique opportunity to speak on behalf of chinese and asian health issues to over 20 years ago actually believe that not only should we then develop systems to do that, but we need to seek it out on not only our local, but a national level, and they have allowed me and our

colleagues opportunities to do that. once again, that is the heritage part. we are looking forward to continue to remove our disparities and to have unity in health care for all in san francisco. thank you very much for this unique on. [applause] -- of unique honor. >> we must thank you for your great work bring awareness to be hep b situation. it is particularly important to the agents, and thank you for your awareness. i was just talking to supervisor chiu, and he wanted me to tell all of you that you are all invited to the supervisors' meeting tomorrow at city hall, 3:30. be there, please. because all of tonight's award recipients will receive special

commendations by the supervisor. i just got this from david, this has come on down, everybody. you are all invited. it will be fun, don't you think? to go to the meeting? [applause] special thanks, by the way to the awards committee and all the work they did because they really put together a great committee and of course, recognizing special individuals. now, we would like you all to say hello and welcome to a wonderful, talented troupe. they are the burmese youth association troupe, and they have a special performance for us. please give them a warm welcome. [applause]

♪ [singing in foreign language]

[applause] >> the costumes are so beautiful. oh, my gosh. thank you very much. the costumes are simply beautiful. wonderful thank you to them. beautiful costumes. now, what is an event would not

be complete without great food? i hope you enjoyed it, and we want to thank the asian shaft -- chef association, offering the best louisiana on the bay area, and to help me find them, i would like to call upon the mayor's office of neighborhood services office manager, and she is going to say a special thank you. where is francis? claudine? is she coming? is francis here? yes, well, you can help me thank them. >> we want to say a special thanks to the shaft -- chef. francis was going to make this presentation, but it is on behalf of the chef, the owner

and executive chef and also peter wong. here we are. come on, everybody. they did a great job. >> the chef will be the incoming chair person of the chef association. it will be with us every year catering and contributing to our community. we want to express our appreciation, and thank you so much. [applause] >> we are all about good food and pictures, of course. we would love for you to say a

few words. >> good evening. it is such an honor for us to be here tonight. in the partner of the asian chef association , and in the founder of -- i am the founder of chefs without borders. for us to be year to stand in front of you, it is an honor to be here to be part out the asian pacific americans five years in a row, and we are honored to do everything to serve the food, and we try the best we can, so tonight, i hope you enjoyed the food very much, and we hope to see you again. thank you.

[applause] thank you very much. we have more food for you. two quick things -- we have finally coming up right now, and we have a green room recession after the finale -- reception after the finale. when you are on your way up, as you leave, but not yet, you will be given a little ticket, and this ticket will allow you to go up to the green room celebration was more great food -- we are asian, after all. we have great food and lots of it. this ticket will get you into that green room reception. this ticket -- there will be a blank boxes on this ticket, and as you go to each station, you can check off that box. once the boxes are all marked, you take that ticket, put it in a raffle are -- jar, and it will

be your chance to win a gift certificates from one of the participating restaurants, so you need not be present to win. you leave after the rally, get a ticket, go upstairs to the green room, check off the boxes, visit the stations, and present it to a big raffled jar, you could win a gift certificate to one of the restaurants. all right, now, our finale. here to explain our finale, please welcome our producers, the producer agile in the mist asian america pageant. please welcome rose. -- producer of the miss asian american pageant. >> it is my pleasure to be the entertainment coordinator for this wonderful awards ceremony. i want to acknowledge the quarter not -- the choreographer, and the coordinator of all the community

groups to participate. before we begin, i just want to invite those of you in the audience that if you want to participate next year, just go on to our website. hope you have a wonderful evening, and do not hesitate to apply because the folks are really dancing their heart out for you. so of music, please -- so, music , please. ♪ >> ♪ there comes a time when we keep a certain call when the world must come together as one

there are people dying the greatest gift of all we cannot go on pretending day-by-day that someone somehow lessons they can change. we are always part of a great big family and it is true you know, love is all we need we are the world's we are the children we are the ones who make a brighter day their lives so

let's start living and the choice we are making we are saving our own lives is true we make a better day just you and me well, send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares and their lives will be strong and free we cannot let them suffer no, we cannot turn them away right now, they need a helping hand we are the world we are the children we are the ones who make a

brighter day so let's start giving there's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives it's true will make a better day just you and me when you're down and out there seems no hope adolf but if you just believe there's no way we can fall well, well, well, well let us realize that change will only come when we stand together as one we are the world we are the children

we are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving there's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives its troops will make a better day just you and me around the world of the of the world around the world are around the world round and round and round the world

i took my baby on a saturday bank board, is that girl with you yes, we are one and the same i believe in miracles, and a miracle has happened tonight but if you're thinking about my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white the premises in the saturday signed i had to tell them i am not second to none and i told about equality the

truth, either you are wrong or you are right but, if you're thinking about my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white >> i love -- whoo! all right, i would like to call willie brown, carmen, david, eric. come on up. grab williecarmen, eric, david! come on up! vicki, come on up! c'mon! volunteers, let's go! come on up, come on up, volunteers! members of the committee, come on up!

members of the committee, anybody else? , opt! volunteers in the audience,, one of -- come on up! vicki, vicki, come on op! c'mon, anybody else? come on up! whoo! standup! come on! get out of your seats, everyone! stand up, stand up, stand up!

come on! ♪

>> whoo! thank you all for coming! let's have a great evening. thank you all, everyone. thank you to all of our dancers. have a great evening. thank you for coming.